HER SPACE

2020

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HER SPACE

I am inspired to explore the waves, as a phenomenon and metaphor, of African femininity in tandem with the supreme value of human existence through Afrofuturistic expression in this collection. The pieces layer emotion, craft, sound and motion to focus on three areas: mental stabilization advancements, the utilization of an African woman’s femininity to personalize Afrofuturism, and electromagnetism as a metaphor.

Ever since I was a child, I have been fascinated by the traditional understanding of the universe. Through the lens of Afrofuturism, we can speculate upon ways to subvert this understanding and effect future change. Afrofuturism is the reimagining of a future imagined with arts, science and technology, and typically invokes themes of reclamation, Black liberation, and the revisioning of the past combined with predictions of the future through a Black cultural lens. With a twofold aim to entertain and enlighten, 'Afrofuturists' strive to break down racial, ethnic, and social limitations to empower and free individuals to be themselves. Although it is currently dominating the media and continuing to open up endless ways of interpreting and changing our history, it has the potential to offer an increased intersectionality through the perspective of a Black, African woman: a perspective that is often whitewashed, demonized, or completely silenced. Afrofuturism allows her to write and create without needing permission nor parameters.

In this collection, Her Space, I explore, through Afrofuturistic expression, the waves of African femininity parallel to a supreme value of human existence in mental, and psychological organization.

Afrofuturism is at the heart of this collection. Though the one I chose to explore is centered on that of the African woman and the dichotomy of her femininity and mental state. She is a world within herself; full of beauty and struggle and deserving of discovery and exploration. My work considers this through a Black singular feminine gaze with touches of soft yet bold, subtle yet strong, ethereal yet profoundly human. Too often the Afrofuturistic woman is portrayed in a masculine light, or androgynous.She is either depicted in a space suit, as a manly warrior, or other traditionally and recognizably male centric façades in order to “prove” she is capable of great feats necessary for survival in a futuristic world. These artworks embrace femininity through the bright, luminescent color palettes, body and facial language as well as flowing patterns traditionally associated with the feminine hand.

This collection does not shy away from galactic, alienist or celestial elements frequently used in describing otherworldly, futuristic natures. I want to continue that conversation along with mental stimulation however through a nontraditional and feminine visual presentation. I use it as a way to explore the world of today and our turmoil. This progressive woman is occupied by thoughts of a past, present, and future and the ongoing battle between good and evil. There is a battle within each woman, and within every woman, there is a universe yearning to be seen and appreciated.

Her Space, was created through a stimulating experience with the album Amnioverse by Lapaloux. Amnioverse is ‘a sort of portmanteau of the amniotic sac and the universe, revolves around notions of fluidity; that the cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth is a never -ending continuum. He channels these ethereal ideas through a new and ever-expanding modular synth set-up, injecting human emotion, and layering recordings of weather, wind, rain and fire, lending an elemental, celestial feel to the composition.’ The album has a very ethereal, futuristic, celestial sound to it, and although it was created by a man, it is heavily doused in the hues and harmonies of femininity. Amnioverse was an integral component to my creative process; it is as if each piece was birthed through a song.

For the majority of history, the mind and its functionality has been a mystery to humanity. The last few decades have seen scientific development allow the observance, understanding and advancement of how things are processed within the brain. Such advances are summarized by the Harvard Medical School:

In recent decades, scientists have developed electrical and magnetic devices for observing the brain in action — remembering, deciding, and experiencing emotion — in ways that were once unimaginable. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) are among the most revolutionary of these techniques. Changing brain activity in any meaningful or lasting way by electromagnetic means has proven more difficult, but glimmers of progress are appearing. One example is Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), in which a strong electrical current applied to the scalp induces generalized seizures (spreading to the whole brain) for the relief of severe intractable depression and other psychiatric disorders. Another is Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), which is a noninvasive procedure that uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain to improve symptoms of depression. An electric coil in the helmet sends out regular pulses of electromagnetic energy. These beating sounds produce changes in the brain area responsible for the disorder.

Her Space is inspired by research in advances in this area of scientific inquiry and the quest for the nature of consciousness. I am stirred by its broader implications for a realised imagination through the intersection of medical biology and electrodynamic technology. This series explores the relationship between, and in parallel, this femininity and magnetic stimulation to consider the interconnectedness of the past, present, and future.

This representation may be understandable when the origins of the art lie in a tumultuous mind. Most often, in tumultuous minds, what brings a sense of tranquility is the illusion of one’s self in another world. Another space. Another dimension. People often find a sense of serenity in the uncontrollable world by picturing oneself in a world far removed from their own, where they face and overcome larger than life challenges unique to the illusion. This is something that Afrofuturism seeks to bring about artistically, and which technology and neuroscience are also striving towards.

Her Space is a series of digital photo-painted and illustrated self-portraits collaged with scanned textile swatches which bring together the aesthetics of cyborg themes, loosely tribal motifs, android imagery and gleaming metallics that might be appropriate for a voyage to Pluto’s outer reaches. Oscillating, pulsating patterns create movement in the artworks displayed on lenticular lenses, mimics the physical action of electromagnetic waves, and the radiant, shimmering colors suggest a visual presence of an electrodynamics reaction. Bright, contrasting colors in the textile designs, which overlay the portraits, invoke the forces of electromagnetism. This tension between oscillating energies and forces - between electrically charged particles and polarities which results in electromagnetic waves - are deterministic but tend towards an abstraction in my works.

The juxtaposition of hues in these pieces comes as a metaphor for electrodynamics – the application of electromagnetic forces to bring upon material interactions that underpin everything from our everyday use of technology to the advancements in neuroscience discussed above. All of this takes place among cosmic motifs, which provide the background for (self) portraits that express the power and boldness of a Black woman who has taken command of her own universe. As shifting forms become transformed through emergent and critical practice, one is left with a testament to the possibilities of our era; the possibilities of a prospective, if not utopian, future.

Afrofuturism can surely be feminine, beautiful and thought provoking. What I create is fiction based scientific ideas that are steeped in African traditions, mental health advancements and a black female identity. This is the story of an Afrofuturist woman who is free and subservient to no one...This is Her Space.

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